YOUR LIFE on the ROCK - Part 1

UNION with Jesus, the bedrock of our faith, is a spiritual bond forged by Grace through Jesus' faithfulness. The invitation to join His eternal UNION extends to a profound eternal COMMUNION with the full Trinity—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

"The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14

Through God’s Grace the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts that we experience intimate fellowship with each person of the Trinity, freely participating in their eternal divine nature and soaking in their love for one another.

"and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us," Ephesians 3:19-20

There is no way to explain the love the members of the Trinity have for one another. The important thing to know, they have the same love for all of us.

"For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel." John 5:20

Eternal COMMUNION with the Trinity is a gift of Grace, a present reality, and an eternal destiny for FOLLOWERS of JESUS CHRIST.

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all Grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

Eternal COMMUNION involves an intimate and unbroken fellowship with THE FULL TRINITY, characterized by their mutual love, COMMUNION, and cooperation. In this Divine COMMUNION, FOLLOWERS partake in Jesus’ divine nature and participate in His ongoing works.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:12-14

The promise of 'greater works,' as Jesus articulates, is not a mere aspiration, but a call to action. It signifies the continuation and expansion of Jesus' redemptive mission through us, His FOLLOWERS.

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

Empowered by Grace working through the Holy Spirit, and united WITH CHRIST, we are called to carry out works of His ministry, service, and witness that surpass even those Jesus performed during His earthly ministry.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of Grace, so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

The Bible describes us, followers of Jesus Christ, as the manifestation of THE Greater Works of Christ, empowered by Grace and working through love.

"Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." John 17:1-5

THE Greater Works of Jesus are made possible through His indwelling divine empowerment and prayer. FOLLOWERS of CHRIST, acting in UNION with Jesus and aligning with God's perfect will, have access to the Father through prayer–COMMUNION.

"I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. " John 17:11

By praying in Jesus' name, FOLLOWERS can boldly ask for anything that aligns with God's purposes, confident that He will act in accordance with His will to bring about THE Greater Works.

"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one." John 17:13-15

Jesus, in John 5:20, speaks of the Father showing Him GREATER WORKS to evoke a sense of wonder and amazement among His disciples.

"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." John 17:16-21

THE Greater Works encompasses the ongoing revelation of God's redemptive plan and the manifestation of His power and glory in the world.

"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." 2 Peter 1:3-4

As FOLLOWERS remain in UNION with Jesus and COMMUNE with the Trinity, we participate in and bear witness to HIS marvelous works, bringing glory to the Father through our lives.

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. " John 17:22-23

UNION with Jesus and eternal COMMUNION with the full Trinity empowers FOLLOWERS to partake in Jesus's GREATER WORKS, demonstrating the transformative power of the Gospel and advancing God's Kingdom on earth.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." John 17:24

Through prayer, empowerment by the Holy Spirit, and alignment with God's will, we participate in the ongoing revelation and manifestation of God's glory, fulfilling our divine calling to be agents of His love, Grace, and redemption in the world.

“O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:25-26

As apprentices of Jesus Christ, our next step is clear and resolute: passionately pursuing a deeper UNION with King Jesus, embodying the Gospel in every aspect of our lives with unwavering faith and love.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;" Romans 8:28-29

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we joyfully engage in THE Greater Works promised by our Lord and Master, Jesus, boldly proclaiming His truth, healing the broken, and demonstrating His love to a hurting world.

"and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30

With humility, prayerful dependence, and surrendered hearts, we press forward, knowing that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven and that every effort invested in His Kingdom bears eternal significance.

"Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6

United IN CHRIST, we uplift and encourage one another, spurring on toward greater heights of faith and obedience.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

This is our calling, mission, and joy—to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, bringing glory to the Father in all we do.

IN CHRIST

By building our lives upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, we establish ourselves on the foundation of His unshakable Kingdom principles and values. Are you IN CHRIST? How do you know for sure? You must know!

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN WILL ENTER." Matthew 7:21

The IN CHRIST lifestyle, life “IN CHRIST” involves absolute surrendering our will to His, trusting in His promises, and following His commandments with absolute obedience.

"Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESSI’" Matthew 7:22-23

Just as a house built on a strong foundation can withstand storms and adversity, so too can our lives when built upon the unwavering truth and stability found IN CHRIST. IN CHRIST, with Jesus as our foundation and focus, we experience His peace, joy, and resilience in the face of our life challenges.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, FOR IT HAD BEEN FOUNDED ON THE ROCK." Matthew 7:24-25

Living Like Jesus

Practically, building our lives upon Jesus involves living out His teachings in our daily actions and interactions, and not just talking a good game. If you are a teacher, are you producing disciples of Christ who are discipling others to be disciples of Christ? If not, why not? Who’s mission are you serving?

"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, NOR CAN A BAD TREE PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT. Every tree that does not bear good fruit (does not raise up Disciples who Disciple others to Disciple others) is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:17-20

Being a FOLLOWER of Jesus means loving one another as Jesus loved us, forgiving those who wrong us, and extending Grace and compassion to everyone including our enemies.

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:5

Ministry is about making Disciples of Disciples who raise up more disciples who disciple others.

"And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?" Matthew 12:25

Being a follower of Jesus “IN CHRIST” means trusting Jesus and His faithfulness alone. It means seeking His guidance and wisdom in every decision and aligning our purpose and mission with His will for our lives.

"he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built." Luke 6:48

Building our lives upon Jesus is about following His teachings and developing a deep and intimate relationship with Him. This involves prayer, time in His presence, study of His Word, serving others, teaching, and fellowship with other believers.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." Matthew 7:24-28

Being IN CHRIST means relying on Jesus’ humility, strength, and power to overcome challenges and temptations and trusting in His faithfulness to sustain us through every trial.

This way, we EXPERIENCE Jesus' love, guidance, and support in our daily lives by Grace. Only then will Jesus say, “I know you good and faithful servant of the King, you were a minister to me, the High Priest, and as the Great Shepherd I found you, the little lost lamb.”

"According to the Grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it." 1 Corinthians 3:10

Building our lives upon Jesus is a lifelong journey of surrender, obedience, trust, and transformation. Growth requires continual surrender of our own desires and agendas and a commitment to walk in obedience to His leading.

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time," 1 Peter 5:6

As we build our lives upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, we have confidence that no matter what storms come our way, we will stand firm, anchored in His love and Grace.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:43-44

Four Types of Christians - Which are YOU?

The Self-Centered Believer: This Christian is characterized by a superficial understanding of God's Grace, seeking only the benefits of forgiveness without true repentance or commitment to Jesus and His Kingdom of Grace. This believer lacks genuine love for God or His Kingdom and they are self-centered in their motivations. Their impact on family and community is limited, as their faith is shallow and self-serving. To become fully obedient to Christ, they must allow Master Builder Jesus to take them through a transformation of the heart, so they turn away from self-centeredness and embrace true repentance and love for God and others.

The Partially Repentant Believer: This Christian acknowledges God's Grace and feels sorry for their sins, but their repentance is shallow and motivated by fear of consequences rather than genuine remorse. They may serve the Lord but lack true commitment and are easily discouraged by criticism and mere human trials. They view all adversity as attacks from satan rather than loving correction from God, our loving Father. This hinders their spiritual formation. To become fully submitted to Jesus, they must fully submit to His discipline, allowing the Holy Spirit to deepen their repentance, embracing a sincere heart-change and trusting in God's sovereignty and Grace to do the work even in adversity.

The Partially Surrendered Believer: This Christian has a deeper understanding of God's Grace and is committed to serving the Lord but struggles with surrendering fully to His will. They may still hold onto their own desires and judgments, viewing trials as attacks rather than opportunities for spiritual growth, holiness, and purification. Their humility is tainted by a desire for recognition and approval. To become fully obedient to Jesus, they must surrender their will completely to the Holy Spirit and the Father’s discipline, dying to self and relying wholly on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and Jesus’ Grace.

The Fully Surrendered FOLLOWER of Jesus Christ: This FOLLOWER embodies true humility and surrender, living fully IN CHRIST, living in and from the Father's heart. They are continually emptied of self and fully yielded to God's will, obedient to His voice and transformed from the inside out by the Holy Spirit. Their impact on family and community is profound, making disciples of Christ as they radiate the joy and love of the Lord, becoming true ambassadors of His Kingdom.

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish." Matthew 18:12-14

To become fully obedient and submitted to Jesus, the people currently stuck in types one and two must ask the Holy Spirit to take them through a radical transformation of heart and mindset, recognizing the superficiality of their faith and embracing genuine repentance and full surrender to Christ.

"After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man... Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:10-11, 14

The Holy Spirit transformation process requires humility, self-denial, and a deepening reliance on the power of God's Grace to transform your life.

"Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Matthew 16:22-23

For professional clergy and pastors stuck in Christian Types One, Two, and Three, your lack of true repentance and surrender is having a disastrous impact on the Body of Christ, leading many into spiritual stagnation, hypocrisy, and harm to those under your care.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:47-50

Every teacher must undergo a thorough examination of the heart, every day seeking true repentance and surrender to Christ, and allowing His Grace to lead us into deep transformation that enables us to walk in authentic and impactful ministry.

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:1-6

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